D&D 5E Street date for D&D Next Starter Game is July 15

[GMforPowergamers]

Hmmm...

well...players could start winding up games they are running or not start new ones in preparation for the D&D Next launch date so as to be ready to play it with friends and groups upon release.

It isn't earth shattering and not a big deal but might be helpful to know.

My Tuesday night game has been in a holding pattern and we were going to aynyth and mastic next but this announcement would firm up our plans

 

[DEFCON 1]

I'm going to have to meet you at GenCon and buy you an adult beverage.

Because I can never give you enough xp.

Thaumaturge.

Well, I'll be there. DMing 8 4-hour shifts of Next games over the weekend for Baldman Games, so god knows I'm gonna need some.

 

[Thaumaturge]

... Damnit.

Apparently I can't XP either of you.

I also accept adult beverages.

I know I'm going to see Guardians of the Galaxy or the next Star Wars. Because of that, I don't even bother looking up trailers or release dates or anything--I already know I'm a customer.

That's how I view 5e/Next/D&D. I'm a customer. The playtest has been our goto ruleset in my home campaigns since the first packet. When WotC is ready for my money, they'll let me know how to get it to them.

Thaumaturge.

 

[ccooke]

I also accept adult beverages.

I know I'm going to see Guardians of the Galaxy or the next Star Wars. Because of that, I don't even bother looking up trailers or release dates or anything--I already know I'm a customer.

That's how I view 5e/Next/D&D. I'm a customer. The playtest has been our goto ruleset in my home campaigns since the first packet. When WotC is ready for my money, they'll let me know how to get it to them.

Thaumaturge.

Unfortunately I won't be at gencon

I've converted the two 4e games I ran to 5e and it's been going great - especially with the more experienced group - most especially since I joined all the player pdfs together and bound them into a few a5 phb-alikes. Something about being able to flick through pages...

I'm currently internally debating whether to get the starter set to update the core rules or wait for the trinity...

 

[Thaumaturge]

I'm currently internally debating whether to get the starter set to update the core rules or wait for the trinity...

That is a debate my pocketbook already lost.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Wicht]

My choice would not be Next.

No, I agree - that would be... suboptimal

I have disliked the moniker since they first started using it and it always makes me wonder what they call the edition after this one, if there is one.

 

[Mistwell]

Does the Disney PR department gear its advertising towards the dunderheads on Ain't It Cool's message boards that have been picking apart Guardians of the Galaxy information for a year and a half? No. Because those people already know everything they need to know. So the PR roll-out is for everyone else. And the new edition of D&D is the exact same thing. They don't need to let US know anything, because we can't actually even do anything with the information even when we get it.

Short side-note story on that topic of Disney and how they handle PR. My friend does PR for them, and they are tighter with information than anyone. For example, he was running PR for their first D23 convention, Johnny Depp was a surprise guest during one of their panels - and they didn't tell their own PR guy it was happening, until it was happening. So when the media all collapsed on him asking for information, he had to wing it. And when they asked him why he hadn't told them all to go watch that panel to cover the appearance - he had no good answer. Because Disney hadn't told their own PR guy about a significant PR event, wanting it to be "purely a surprise for the fans at the D23 experience".

 

[DMZ2112]

It needs to have...
* good character creation rules, with the understanding that it's going to be narrow and somewhat limited
* at least 3, but preferably 4 or 5 full levels.
* a good adventure which shows off the system
* advice and rules on how to run the game
* a good list of both monsters and treasures, enough to keep things exciting for a while
* and most importantly a big section on how to run the game and make your own adventures.

Is there any logic to the thought that the Starter Game has to have at least as much game content as the rules supplement provided with Scourge of the Sword Coast and Dead in Thay? Those products are cheaper than the Starter Game, contain substantial adventure support, and are substantially more complete rulesets than anyone here is proposing for the Starter Game.

@MerricB just mentioned elsewhere that "I've seen a report from a meeting last week that the PHB is August and the DMG is November. Both $49.99. Think we'll hear more soon.... Apparently there was a retailer's conference last week that gave that information. I'm dubious, but Red Box details were confirmed."
Interesting!

November, huh? That three-month delay certainly suggests a different sort of format for both the PHB and DMG, does it not? And no word on a Monster Manual in that timeframe?

No, I agree - that would be... suboptimal
I have disliked the moniker since they first started using it and it always makes me wonder what they call the edition after this one, if there is one.

...I'm confused by everyone being hung up on this. The only time the official logo of D&D has included an edition number was the first revision of AD&D2. The D&D3.5 books had "v.3.5" on the covers but typically associated with the title of the book, not the name of the game.

D&D has always been D&D. This edition will be D&D, and the next edition will be D&D. It's D&D.

 

[Wicht]

...I'm confused by everyone being hung up on this. The only time the official logo of D&D has included an edition number was the first revision of AD&D2. The D&D3.5 books had "v.3.5" on the covers but typically associated with the title of the book, not the name of the game.

D&D has always been D&D. This edition will be D&D, and the next edition will be D&D. It's D&D.

I would assume you are right, but I still don't like the name "Next," have never liked it, and am a bit... concerned... when its seemingly still being used officially this close to the release date. That is all. So I would assume you are right.

 

[DMZ2112]

I would assume you are right, but I still don't like the name "Next," have never liked it, and am a bit... concerned... when its seemingly still being used officially this close to the release date. That is all. So I would assume you are right.

I think that the pervasive usage of "D&D Next" is relevant to the name of the new edition, but not because it will include the word "Next." Rather, I suspect that the books will be prominently embossed with a huge "D&D" and only elaborate on the acronym inside the book.